Maharashtra Governor and NDA nominee CP Radhakrishnan was on Tuesday elected as the 15th Vice President of India, securing a convincing win over Opposition candidate and former Supreme Court judge B Sudershan Reddy. The 67-year-old leader, who succeeds Jagdeep Dhankhar, received 452 votes against Reddy’s 300, with indications of cross-voting tilting the numbers further in his favour.
Speaking after his election, Radhakrishnan said, “It is a victory for every Indian, we all have to work together. If we have to develop Viksit Bharat by 2047, which means we should not do politics in everything, now we will have to concentrate on development. In new capacity, I will try my best for the development of the nation. In democracy, both ruling party, opposition parties are important. It is the two sides of the same coin, the interest of the democracy will be taken into account.”
“Every post is important and every post has its own limitations. We have to understand that we have to work within that framework. The other side camp (INDIA alliance) said that this is an ideological fight, but from the voting pattern, we understand that the nationalistic ideology has become victorious,” he remarked, as quoted by news agency ANI.
#WATCH | Delhi: On being elected as the Vice President, CP Radhakrishnan says, “… Every post is important and every post has its own limitations. We have to understand that we have to work within that framework. The other side camp (INDIA alliance) said that this is an… pic.twitter.com/CN867BICTY
— ANI (@ANI) September 9, 2025
Rajya Sabha Secretary General and Returning Officer P C Mody declared the results, noting that out of 781 eligible MPs, 767 cast their votes, marking a 98.2 per cent turnout. He said 752 ballots were valid while 15 were invalid, bringing down the majority mark to 377.
Mody also revealed that one postal ballot was received but later cancelled as the elector declined to vote. Of the three MPs eligible for postal ballots — Amritpal Singh, PV Midhun Reddy and Sheikh Abdul Rashid — two voted in person.
The NDA, with a strength of 427 MPs on paper, also received support from the YSR Congress’ 11 MPs, along with some independents and smaller parties. BJP leaders claimed that at least 15 Opposition MPs voted for Radhakrishnan, while BJP MP Sanjay Jaiswal went further, asserting that “nearly 40 opposition MPs listened to the voice of their conscience and voted in some manner in support of the NDA candidate, showing wider acceptance for him.”
Congratulations Pour In For Radhakrishnan
President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended greetings, with the PM writing on X, “Congratulations to Thiru CP Radhakrishnan Ji on winning the 2025 Vice Presidential election. His life has always been devoted to serving society and empowering the poor and marginalised. I am confident that he will be an outstanding VP, who will strengthen our Constitutional values and enhance Parliamentary discourse.”
The Prime Minister also visited Radhakrishnan at Union Minister Pralhad Joshi’s residence after the results, where several senior BJP leaders including J P Nadda felicitated him.
Radhakrishnan expressed gratitude, thanking the President and the Prime Minister for their wishes as he prepared to take oath as the country’s second-highest constitutional authority and ex-officio Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.
The losing candidate Sudershan Reddy said he accepted the verdict and extended best wishes to the Vice President-elect. The Congress, while congratulating Radhakrishnan, described the contest as an “ideological battle.”
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said in a post on X, “This was more than an election; it was a battle of ideology, reaffirming that governments with authoritarian tendencies must be checked to protect our Constitution and democracy. We hope the new Vice President-elect will uphold the highest ethos of Parliamentary traditions, ensuring equal space and dignity for the Opposition, and not succumb to pressures of the ruling dispensation.”
Radhakrishnan, a seasoned politician from Tamil Nadu with long roots in the RSS, Jana Sangh and BJP, is the third leader from the state to occupy the post. Known for his calm demeanour, he takes charge after the sudden resignation of Jagdeep Dhankhar in July, nearly two years before the end of his term.
In a letter addressed to his successor, Dhankhar congratulated him, writing, “Your elevation to this august office reflects the trust and confidence of the representatives of our nation.” He added that under Radhakrishnan’s stewardship, the office would “certainly attain greater veneration and glory.”
The electoral college for the Vice Presidential polls comprises 788 MPs — 245 from the Rajya Sabha and 543 from the Lok Sabha. With six Rajya Sabha seats and one Lok Sabha seat vacant, the total strength stood at 781.
